Mr. SMITH. The Commission will come to order and good afternoon to everybody. Welcome to our witnesses and everyone joining us for today’s hearing marking 100 years since the start of the Armenian Genocide—one of the most terrible crimes of the 20th century.

The Armenian Genocide is the only one of the genocides of the 20th century in which the nation that was decimated by genocide has been subjected to the ongoing outrage of a massive campaign of genocidal denial, openly sustained by state authority. This campaign of genocide denial is a slap in the face to the Armenian people, preventing reconciliation and healing. As Pope Francis said so eloquently at his Mass marking the 100th time period of the genocide, quote, "Concealing or denying evil is like allowing a wound to keep bleeding without bandaging it."